Monday, October 01, 2012

More LayMAN Love

First Presbyterian of Elizabethton, TN a member congregation of Holston Presbytery may be the most transparent about its allegiance. The first descriptor under "Who we are" on the church's homepage is "A Progressive Christian Community" that links through to the eight points of a progressive Christian church.

We aren't the only ones listed. We are one of 14 on this particular list of progressive congregations. It is convenient that the LayMAN compiled that list. Perhaps one of these great congregations is near you. If so, you might consider joining it.

I am sure the LayMAN didn't publish this as a favor to us. They don't like us much I am afraid. We are bad little Christians. They think we should be disciplined.

Hi ho.

They also realize that isn't going to happen:

Other Presbyterians in the presbyteries where these churches are located are supposed to have applied regular discipline and brought the pastors and elders of these churches back into accord with the family of faith. They have not. I dare say, they will not. Why not? Because, I believe, we have lost the will to fight, even for what we know is right.

You would think eventually they would get tired. They have lost. There is nothing they can do about us and we are growing.

Rule #1 in their brand of message politics: Don't make the other guy's argument for him. 80% of that post does nothing but advertise for progressivechristianity.org.

In fact, I learned far more about this group from the LayMAN story than I could have learned from the websites of many of the very churches they're whining about!

Not to mention the whole creepy hush hush tone of "Didja know these churches belong to this eeeeevil secret organization?" implication of the post, when in fact, everything is clearly and obviously public. So public in fact, that all the crack team of journalistic experts at the LayMAN had to do was ... read. Brilliant!

Seriously, if this is the best they got, they wouldn't deserve to win, even if they were right. It is one thing to be a group of busybodies, fusspots, tattletales and scolds. But to be a bunch of shockingly incompetent busybodies, fusspots, tattletales and scolds....

I mean, how is it even possible that they're this bad at everything?

These days they're all about making lists. Lists of essentials, McCarthy-esque lists of bad people (what happened to that endeavor, I wonder?), lists of bad churches, lists of sins, lists of people who used to be "orthodox" but now aren't, lists, lists, lists... Sad really that the faith preached by their fathers and mothers has devolved to laying pipe and doing times tables.

Their approach to faith and the most important questions in life is akin to a premed studying for the MCAT.